A expressão da sexualidade e desejo feminino na pornochanchada

Abstract

This research investigates the expression of female sexuality and desire in select films from pornochanchada, a popular Brazilian film genre of the 1970s and 1980s. The study aims to provide a critical reassessment of the genre by analyzing the protagonists of A Mulher que Inventou o Amor (1980), Os Homens que eu Tive (1973), and As Aventuras Amorosas de um Padeiro (1975). It seeks to challenge traditional analyses of erotic comedies by shifting the focus away from the dominant male voyeuristic logic. Additionally, the research explores the contradictions of censorship, which banned politically divergent films or those that subverted the status quo while simultaneously allowing the widespread circulation of films with strong erotic appeal. The results indicate that, although pornochanchadas largely reinforced an objectified view of women, certain films exhibited glimpses of progressive representations that challenged the patriarchal conventions of the time. The study concludes that, despite the genre’s limitations within its sociopolitical context, some pornochanchadas questioned the institution of marriage, female emancipation, and the romantic ideal. For these reasons, the genre should be revisited with a critical perspective, acknowledging its ambiguities and its role in shaping the imaginary of female sexuality in Brazilian cinema.